Editor’s note: The Arizona Daily Wildcat’s Bobby Stover caught up with UA sophomore midfielder Karina Camacho after she scored the winning goal against ASU on Friday. Arizona’s win over ASU was the first time the Wildcats beat the Sun Devils in school history.
Wildcat: You scored your second game-winning goal of the season in overtime last Friday against ASU. What is your mentality going into those extra periods?
Camacho: I just try to do what I can do to help the team. If I can get a goal, great – if not, an assist is just as great for me personally. But I just try to work hard and create something up top.
W: You’ve told me before you didn’t have too many of those opportunities before college. What’s been so different now that all these chances are starting to come up?
C: I don’t know. I think it’s just the high level of play. I have to step up my game to match my teammates and match the opponents. So I know I need to give it my best everyday and, even if it’s in overtime when we’re all tired, we just have to keep running and keep going.
W: Now there are currently three players on your team with four-plus goals: London (King), Renae (Cuellar), and you. Is there any friendly rivalry there for bragging rights?
C: Yeah, there could be; we kind of joke sometimes. But for me personally as a midfielder, if I can feed them the ball, they can get goals too and I’ll be just as happy with that. So if I can get a goal, great. If not, they can do the work and it’ll be fine.
W: In your opinion, is there anything more exciting than scoring a game-winning goal?
C: Um, (scoring the goal) is really exciting, but I’d have to say giving the assist for a game-winner is just as exciting for me.
W: Now into some questions away from the soccer field. What is your favorite sport other than soccer?
C: Hmm, I’d probably have to say basketball because I love watching it. We don’t really have very much free time and if I did maybe I’d play that.
W: Did you use to play?
C: No, I actually have played soccer my whole life. I’ve never played any other sport, but if I did I think it would be basketball.
W: Any unusual talents people might not know about you?
C: Not really anything out of the ordinary.
W: Well I actually saw a video one of your teammates had of you and (teammate) Lauren Bennett doing a little dance performance in the locker room. Where did you learn those moves?
C: (Laughs) I don’t know, just kind of messing around with my roommate, doing our little thing. We just like to have fun and have a good time when we’re in the locker room because we love being around each other.
W: Was (the performance) your idea of a kind of initiation?
C: It was just that we wanted to be funny and get the team in a good mood before the game. And it worked out pretty well.
W: Halloween’s coming up. You have any ideas of what to be yet?
C: Not really, still looking around. I’ve been talking to some people, just trying to see what we could do this year.
W: What were you last year?
C: I didn’t dress up last year.
W: Ah, what’s up with that?
C: I was boring, I know. I’m sorry (laughs).
W: Last question: If you could play one-on-one with anyone, who would it be?
C: I think it’d be cliché to say (David) Beckham, because I think everyone would say that. So you know I’d have to say (Diego) Maradona from Argentina; he’s a great player.
W: Think you could take him?
C: (Laughs) No, but I think it would be a good challenge, seeing how bad he could beat me.
